Defenders of the keep
by flameville21
Summary: Jayce and his conpanions have to defend Demacia and themselves to survive, will they fail or succeed read it and find out :3
1. Prologue

Intro – team misfits

(Jayce)

The room was dark and moody; the only light that entered the room was from the cracks in the oak panels which acted like curtains, the beams of light reveal the dancing dust floating around. It was about 10 am and yet I was still sleeping (as always) in the shack that the Demacian empire gave me to stay in, to be honest its not the nicest place I've had the pleasure to sleep in. as per usual my door swings open and a guard waltzes in and orders me to get up and go meet with the prince, so this is the morning routine. Grab my so called armour complete the hygienic stuff like brushing teeth, having a wash etc. then grab my mercury hammer and set off up to the palace where Jarvan IV lives.

Weaving through the building like a mouse in a maze all to go and be asked the same question over and over,

"when are you going to leave our city, you've been here for too long if you wish to stay buy or rent a house?" I mutter.

It's the same every day and all I do is say,

"I dunno soon I suppose"

It's not that I can't afford to stay; it's that I have no choice I go and find somewhere to rest away from Demacia for the night and someone has to drag me back and throw me into that pigsty that they gave me. The only way is to create a squad of some sorts and leave Demacia. But that is more difficult that it seems, everyone here only cares about working and earning money to buy the necessities, they don't want to leave and that makes convincing them difficult. However, I will succeed and our squad can do it, I've just gotta recruit them first…

_Hope you like this new story please send feed back thank you _


	2. Chapter 1 - Hey!

Chapter 1 – "Hey!"

(Jayce)

I wake up again in the stingy room to be woken up by the guard who is surprised I'm awake and just throws my armour in the same place and walks away. So I do the routine again as per usual just as I always do, then something strange happened the light that normally just annoys me just started to grow lighter and brighter, I push the oak panels back so they bounce off the wall, and I have to cover my eyes it's that bright then it goes back to normal an a dove flies past me. I just stand there watching the pure white bird fly around and go over the hill in the distance. Then I sprint to Jarvan to find some girl in a hooded cape and a bow made of ice and it feels cold around her, I walk up to her carefully and she turns to face me,

"You must be Jayce, you're late!" with an angry tone.

"Maybe what's it to you" I ask snapping back at her.

"Jarvan isn't meeting you today so you're coming with me" and she runs off. I just watch her hen shout,

"Hey!" and run after her.

We race through the town weaving in and out of the houses and end up at the gate and she just stands there bow drawn and shoots at a tree dead in the centre I finally catch up, out of breath and all I have to say is:

"Why?"

She twists around and fires another arrow it narrowly misses me and hits an apple which somehow just flies across in a different direction and staples it to the building.

"Again why?" I repeat.

"Ashe, my name is Ashe" she says.

"Nice to know but why did you just do that?"

"It's called training and you are going to be doing some today" in her snappy tone

I glare at her in disgust, and I notice another apple coming inbound so I grab my mercury hammer and swing it which makes it burst into little wet apple pieces, Ashe turns to me and looks at me then the mess on the floor.

"You could have just left that for me you know" snapping at me

"well I'm sorry for making sure your precious little head isn't hurt" I say in a cocky tone. Then to find myself regretting the remark as she sees a hawk and starts running after it.

"Hey, wait for me!" I shout as I place my hammer on my back in its holder and start to chase her.

We go deeper into the forest where people don't like to go, the trees make grinding sounds when they sway in the breeze, the dark tall trees make shadows that seem to follow every step you take. The sky isn't visible because of the blackened leaves creating a net to hold you in and the floor seeming to move and rock and pebbles jump uncontrollably. Ashe still running through the Twisted Treeline notices an old statue holding a sword with a blue gem inside.

"Incredible" she whispers.

"What is it?" I ask as I catch up.

"You don't know? Well it's a turret used to defend a side of the 'field', because it's on this side it means its friendly and wont attack us"

"Why is it friendly?" I ask

"Because we're living or are from Demacia and this tower defends Demacia from people who are from or work for Noxus".

I look at it closely and its very old, the stone is corroding away and ivy is growing up it, the gem flickers a faint light and so does the gem on its shield it holds by its feet. Its podium its stands on has an inscription on it: 'People of Demacia I shall defend you till I crumble Noxus will not win'.

"Shhhhhh" Ashe says as she crouches so I do the same. Two shadows move across the floor so I move towards the brush Ashe is hiding in and we sit there waiting for the shadowy figures to walk by. Four feet stand in front of us. Facing the tower to our right, the one had black worn-out boots with shiny steel spike sticking out on the side which are a millimetre from hitting me, the other had simple leather boots on but they had a cape which split and had razor sharp ends which looked like blades hanging of the tips. I recognised them.

Katarina and Talon… Noxians.


	3. Chapter 2 - Heart of rage

Chapter 2 – Heart of rage

(Jayce)

Katarina and Talon stand in front of us looking at the newest thing to me, the tower. Talon strides up to it but as he does the blue gem releases a pulse of blue light which is directed at him. He stops mid-way and jus watches the pulse fly towards him, as it hit Talon was pushed with so much force he ended up on his back and next to Katarina again.

"Pathetic attempt Talon" Kat sniggers,

"I was just testing the power and speed of the thing" says Talon trying to make an excuse. Kat decides it's her turn to try the tower out, she charges at the tower and as she does she crosses her arms over and grabs her sheathed daggers and she jumps, flying through the air the tower glows again and fires a blue pulsation at her which blows her back to Talons feet.

"Well done Kat you found out the tower blows people back from land and air" Talon says sarcastically,

"I don't see you doing any better, let's just go back and report the finding to Swain" and they both walk away, Ashe and I look at each other in shock,

"And they say their the brains below Swain yet their dumber than Dr Mundo" and we both laugh,

"I never knew you had a sense of humour" I giggle Ashe then stops laughing and gives me an evil stare and then she says,

"We're going to get the rest of the team before nightfall" and she gets up sheaths her bow and starts running back to Demacia so I follow.

We eventually get back after countless times of getting lots in the Treeline and enter the titanium gates with the Demacian symbol shining with glory on the front of the gate, when it opens the symbol splits and the gate opens-up to the city of Demacia. Ashe walks in casually and I flow we walk to a part of the city I don't normally venture to, this part is rumoured to hold a dragon of some description.

"Wait here" Ashe instructs me but I ignore her. She climbs the side of the castle using the vines that grows on the side and I try, I can't climb it but that doesn't matter she told me to wait outside so I guess I'm going to have to. A few minutes later she climbs back down and a female about the same age climbs down after her. She has fiery armour and gloves on which look like the top and bottom of a dragons head, she has horns on her helmet and long dark hair tied up into what looks like a dragons tail. I watch her and think about the rumours and her armour and it click she is half dragon half human it makes sense.

"Jayce?" Ashe says o get me out of my daze,

"Sorry what?" I reply

"This is Shyvana the half dragon"

I look at her and then look at Ashe.

"Do you fight for Demacia?" Shyvana asks

"I don't mind as long as they don't harass me" I reply

"soon you will have to decide the day of the great war will be upon us soon my child" she then looks to the sky for a minute then back to us. "Where are the others then?"

"Jayce was the first and you're the second we're going to fetch Him soon"

"I see" Shyvana replies

"Who the hell is 'Him'?" I ask "You'll see" says Ashe "We'll meet up tomorrow morning get some rest you'll need it" and we disperse.

The next morning the usual happens: the guard, armour, hygiene etc. then I stroll up to the meeting place where I first met Ashe, Shyvana and Ashe was there gossiping I think.

"Ready to set out I see" a voice coming from inside the castle walls but I recognised the voice. "Take this with you" the doors opened and Jarvan IV walks up to us and hands me a cog and I look at him

"Why on earth would I need this?" I question him

"Place it on your shoulder in the slot on your armour"

I hand It to Shyvana and she places it in the slot and a glow passes through me and into my Mercury Hammer.

"Say transform" Jarvan instructs me

"Why not, transform!" I shout, the hammer glows up and so does the cog on my armour the hammers head moves and individual pieces jolt around moving in and out until a cannon shape is made.

"This is called the Mercury Cannon, it only transforms for the person who is true to themselves and true to their cause, this weapon allows close and ranged combat, use it wisely"

"Urmm thanks Jarvan"

Then he turns back to his castle and is escorted inside by guards and the doors close, we look at Ashe and we all nod we sprint to the castle gates and run out and head for the mountains, for Freljord.


	4. Chapter 3 - Barbarian

Chapter 3 – Barbarian

(Jayce)

"How much father?" I ask as I try to catch my breath.

"We've been travelling for only an hour" Ashe says playfully,

"Only!" I exclaim

"Quiet I hear something coming" Shyvana says

We jump into the nearest brush and wait a faint sound of metal dragging on the floor gets louder and louder marching and metal and groaning all moving towards our direction and stops, just stops I climb the tree next to us and scout the area some guards are carrying a man with armour mainly on his left side and a barbarian helmet with his long thick black hair drooping out the back of it, he carries is sword which looks like a two handed sword in his right arm and is being dragged by some weird looking guards with purple armour rather than blue like Demacia.

"Their Noxian guards" Shyvana informs me

"And that is our next member, Tryndamere the barbarian king but what has happened to him"

"Let's set him free "I suggest,

"I'll take the skies" Shyvana says I look at her in a confused way, how is his girl going to fly she doesn't even have wings and if she did she'd most likely just fall to the ground.

"Jayce go from the front I'll go from the back and snipe their heads" Ashe says confidently. We charge in Shyvana waits in the tree to my left and I wait in the brush ready to pounce.

"Hey guards what you doing with our guy" I scream at the guards, they throw Tryndamere on the ground and grab their weapons and charge, a dragons roar paralyzes them and soon a dragon circles them, it drops and sets them on fire. I grab my Mercury Hammer and shout

"Transform" it does as it did back in Demacia and I aim for them and hen shout, "Shock blast" an orb of electricity and power shoots towards them with sparks flying of it and explodes when it hits them in the chest I shout again "Transforms" it turns back into a hammer and I charge in "To the skies!" I jump high in the air and bring the hammer down onto the paralyzed guards they fall and Ashe stands opposite me and the dragon lands and it glows and wisps of flames and energy flow from it and wind picks up around it until it's just the shape of the dragon and a strong gust engulfs it and once it calms down Shyvana walks out of it.

"Shyvana you're a dragon?" I ask in shock

"Yes I am half dragon I can transform into a dragon and demolish anything that threatens either me, Demacia or my allies, now I'll transform into my dragon form you two put Tryn on my back and hop on we're heading to Freljord.

We pick Tryn up and do as Shyvana said and we set off as we ascend over the mountains it grows colder but Shyvana blows fire in the air and it floats over us and warms us up. We reach the top and there is a city made of ice, snow and stone. Carvings of important people leaders I presume, people in their fur coats and weapons upon their backs, little children running around throwing snow at each other. This is the land of Freljord. Shyvana lowers us down and transforms back into her humanoid form and we carry Tryndamere back into the city, the guards wear yellow armour and fur with shields with the Freljord symbol in black on a round wooden shield painted yellow. Great swords in their sheaths, they mean to protect Freljord form intruders.

"Why are you carrying Tryndamere to our city in this state Mistress Ashe?" the guard asks

"We rescued him from Noxian guards and we flew here to help Tryn" Ashe implies

"Take him into the city and go to your castle he'll need help from the healer"

We follow Ashe to their castle, still carrying Tryn on our shoulders over the frozen land, the castle is pure ice and stone inside to protect the residence inside from intruders. Ashe commands her guards to open the doors and the oak wooden arch doors open and the warmth flows out like a river it grabs us and reels us in, the doors close behind us and we take Tryn up to his room whilst Shyvana scouted for the healer.

Three days later Tryn was better, healed up and ready to be interviewed. I knocked on his doors.

"Enter" comes a voice from in his room. I push his doors open and notice him sitting up looking out of the arched window looking towards the strongholds over the other side. I walk to the end of the bed and he looks towards me.

"Why did you save me?" he asked

"You were captured by the Noxians and looks unwell so we saved you and took you back here to rest and become healthy again"

"I don't need your help I was on my way to Demacia to join the group known as the Defenders of the Keep".

Ashe walked in by now; she sits on the seating beside the window and looks to Tryn. "Tryn we found you and we're asking you to join us, join the Defenders of the-"

"keep yes we know" I say half way through her sentence "Why didn't you tell me Ashe I only knew I was on an adventure not becoming the saviour of the world" I exclaim.

"I know we were going to tell you soon but for now Tryn will you do the honour of join our team?"

"For you Ashe yes, but first would you both leave I need to get ready to go with you"

"As you wish" and we both leave.

Fifteen minutes later Tryn enters the hallway takes a second to breathe then follows us down to meet Shyvana who is chasing chickens around.

"Right team let's move out" says Tryn

"Where do you think you're going?" Ashe asks

"To destroy the stronghold over there" Tryndamere points to a castle that looks ancient and broken but we can just about see the rebels smoke from their fires rising into the sky.

We all exchange looks,

"we're heading to the stronghold and this could be our last".


	5. Chapter 4 - Artic friends

Chapter 4 – Artic friends

(Jayce)

We change into suitable gear for the cold and exit Freljord and we go together towards the stronghold whilst maintaining our dignity when we fall into holes in the ice.

"For the last time can you please stop falling and concentrate on moving towards the stronghold?" Shyvana asks in a sarcastic tone, which is weird for her she seems to always act proud and civilised and showing no emotions, but she's standing in front of me smiling… it's weird but a good weird I think.

"I would if you didn't walk so heavy so when I walk behind you I keep falling through the ice" then I smile at her trying to lighten the mood and she just turns around and keeps moving with the group, "Hey!" I shout and spring to catch-up.

We sneak towards the stronghold trying to blend with the snow, but it's kind of hard when you have a dragon-lady-thing with you whose armour has flames coming out of her gauntlets. We eventually arrive at the main gate, huge gate made of spruce wood and metal held together by brass nails which won't last.

"How are we going to get in there?" I ask

"Did you pay attention to the plan?" Ashe replied

"I kind of lost track after 'we sneak up to the stronghold and'-"

"Enter by climbing the walls whilst Shyvana distracts the people inside by flying around above them and fire a few fire bolts" Tryn finishes my sentence abruptly.

"Shyvana time to fly" Ashe commands

"As you wish" she replies faint hearty and she runs up part of the mountain and jumps and as she does she disappears into a whirlwind and a bright light flies through the sky, as the light fades a dragon appears and flies over the stronghold and she roars which gets the people insides attention and start screaming, shouting, cursing so me and Tryn look at Ashe and she nods,

"Let's go and clear this place out" she say we climb the wall with the pocket holes Tryn makes by stabbing it. We get onto the top of the wall surrounding the stronghold which is nothing like what we'd expected.

Homes made of scrap items like piece of cloth stitched together and wooden poles to hold them up, sleeping bags that are ruined from how long they've been there. Campfire in the centre to keep everyone warm, finger paintings on the wall of people dying and war, racks with fish rotting but still being eaten, clothes being used as quilts. The stone walls act like a prison, caging these helpless looking people in dying slowly to starvation, hyperthermia, insanity all because they can't leave because their too weak.

"Shyvana wait" Ashe cries out, Shyvana lands and transforms back into her humanoid form and she stands looking around at these people surrounding her with pitchforks and knives.

"W-why have you entered our land beast" asked one of the pitchfork wielders.

"We were told you we to be eliminated but looking at the conditions the environment will do it for us" Shyvana snaps back.

"Why don't we get the cooking pot ready, there will be dragon stew to feast on tonight boys" one says cheekily

"You may want to look at who has the advantage first before trying to eat them" and she throws a dragon head fire ball at the cheeky one who falls over and starts to burn.

"Shyvana you can stop now" a small fish thing says carrying a trident of some description

"Fizz how… nice to see you" Shyvana says in disgust

"Don't worry I won't hurt you… to badly"

So they charge at each other flaming gauntlets verses glowing trident, screams roars, snapping.

"You will die tonight fish scum" Shyvana says with blood dripping down her left cheek.

"Maybe in your deep slumber when I kill you" Fizz snaps back.

"This has lasted long enough" Ashe fires a holy enchanted ice arrow though the middle of them to spit them up and she lands gracefully where the arrow landed, "Stop this or I WILL kill you both" Ashe says with a glimmer of rage.

"Sorry missy but my fight is with that dragon wannabe" Fizz says playfully

"What you say devil spawn"

I jump down and fire "shock blast" at the both of them which pins them to the rocks.

"Thank you Jayce" Ashe says as she turns to me then back to the dragon and tidal trickster, "now the pair of you, learn some respect and stop fighting, I will not let you two to shed any more blood on each other over whatever started this"

They look at each other and their heads drop in exhaustion, we grab them and take them back to Freljord for medical treatment along the way I notice large footprints that seem to walk towards Freljord but I just ignore them after a while and I get to keep up with the others without falling through the ice.

"What has happened here!" roars Ashe

Freljord is burning humble people running for their lives and spider webs everywhere the palace slice and crumbling every second. I look at Ashe and she's crying

"Someone WILL pay for this"

"Oh but they won't" says a mysterious voice of a woman

"Elise get here and take your punishment b****" Ashe screams as she puts her face in her hands

"But darling your kingdom deserves to be burnt down and crushed under my hand" the voice says but it sounds more sinister.

A giant spider with four spider lings appear above the castle "don't worry I'll make sure everyone I now control will know you failed at protecting them and stood crying whilst I took over, you poor useless thing, I'll make sure you just about survive in my new prison, who knows being queen may be fun after all" and she climbs down and charges for us, "Now your friends will perish in front of you my dear" and she leaps above me aiming for Tryn who is carrying Shyvana and Fizz.

"I don't know who you are, but I know you're a crazy fool for taking over this powerful kingdom" I say as I grab my Mercury Hammer and swing it so it smashes he face in two. She drops down and turns into humanoid form and her spider lings disappear.

"Well done child you know how to move your arms, but bad luck they'll be going soon along with your life" and she summons a glowing spider that s heading for me.

"Move or die fighting it" shout Tryn and he puts the two in his arms down and grabs his sword and charges for Elise. "You will die spider under our combined hand, we'll be kind and won't kill you, the beast will" he says playfully as he spins and slashed Elise in the stomach and she turns back into spider form and jumps into the air.

I run from the glowing spider which explodes into blood and gore, I turn away from it and run to pick up Ashe "You've got to help us Ashe, we need you" she just kneels looking at her river of tears. I lift her up and face her. SMACK I slap her round her face.

"What the hell was that for!" she screams

"To get our leader back and to get her to help HER team" I tell her. Ashe looks at me for a while then looks over a Tryn "Your right our team needs me and that devil spawn, if anyone gets to slay her it's me" she grabs her ice bow and fires an icicle shaped arrow which hits her directly in-between her 6 eyes and causes her to flee.

"I will return, and I won't be on my own, I WILL get you Ashe and you WILL pay" and she skitters away

"Looks like we've got a job to do" I say cheekily

"Don't push it" Fizz says "I want in, but as long as this thing doesn't pull any stunts" he says as he points at Shyvana.


	6. Chapter 5 - The grass is greener

Chapter 5 – the grass is greener on the other side

(Jayce)

"Excuse me" Shyvana says disgusted "Did you just say 'thing' and directed it at me?"

"Maybe I did, what you gonna do about it?"

"I will burn your skull and eat the remains once I've killed you" the pair are both building up a rage.

"Quiet, do not make me kill you both" Ashe says with authority, "Now listen to me, Freljord needs us to help it rebuild, once we've helped then you can be up in each other grills"

Shyvana and Fizz look at each other then face away.

"Are we going back to Demacia like we originally set out to do or are we staying in Freljord being slaves to Ashe and Tryndamere?" I ask

"Jayce we're helping rebuild then heading back to Demacia is that okay with you?" Tryn asks sarcastically

"I'm sorry that Ashe told me we're going to fetch some allies then come back to where my god forsaken house is and train there for no apparent reason".

Tryn looks to Ashe in confusion and he whispers "You haven't told him?"

"I'm still waiting for the right time, it's been so busy lately with all the fighting"

"Tell me what?" I ask impatiently

"Erm… that's for another day" Ashe says trying to put on a sincere smile.

"I won't ask again or I'm going to walk back to Demacia alone"

Ashe looks at her feet trying to find a way to put what she needs to say in a nice manor.

"Jayce Noxus is preparing to launch an attack on Demacia and we're their only hope of winning that is why I am assembling a squad to defend and conquer, we need you because you have a rare fighting spirit that isn't known throughout the land, We're here in Freljord because we need the training away from the distractions but that has been put on hold because of Elise. Jarvan has set up this operation, he needs all of us and if you leave we all lose and Noxus will rule the kingdom, rule the land. Do you want that on YOUR shoulders?"

I just stand there looking at Ashe and her spirit speaking as one, giving me the speech of wisdom, just looking at her and her compassion for speaking, and to think she was a moody son of a gun when we first met, and now she is standing in front of me giving me the speech of all the questions I've wanted to know the whole time. "T-thanks Ashe thanks…"

Ashe pulls her hood down so that the shadows cover her face, but as she puts her bow on her back her eyes turn dark and paralyzed like her soul is lost.

"Erm… guys don't look into the frozen woodland" Ashe says without moving her lips still staring at the woodland dazed.

"W-why" Shyvana says. Shyvana turns to face the ice forest and she stops mid-way standing like an ancient stone statue looking into the forestry "Ohh"

I look back and forth at the two, back to back with Fizz "What's happened to them" asked Fizz.

"I don't know but what I do know is to not look into the woods, we look in front of us and slowly move towards Ashe I look into her eyes "Darkness, all I see is darkness" I say to Fizz mesmerised by what is happening to Ashe.

"What are we going to do?" he asks

"R-run towards t-the town i-it's your o-only hope" Shyvana says.

"Fizz summon your shark"

"Why?"

"Just do it"

Fizz threw down a fish that just flails on the ice ground, then a gigantic shark evokes out of the ice below and eats the defenceless fish then looks at Fizz in a way that a dog would for its master.

"Now what?"

"Now send it towards the ice woodland area"

Fizz throws another fish whilst not looking into the forest and the shark disappears, moments later a load groan shoots out of the forest.

"Got you now Sion"

An undead creature, green of skin walks out of the forest with a bleeding ankle, a battle axe in one hand, an arrow in his right arms armour skin falling off on parts of his body. Bloodshot eyes. "How did you know it was me?" Sion asks cunningly.

"It's easy when you have paralyzed them with your gaze and made their souls almost leave"

"What do you mean almost?" he asked in confusion

"This is almost" Ashe throws her arm back and grabbed her bow and fired her ultimate ability "Enchanted crystal arrow!" Ashe fires her enormous crystal arrow, beautiful rainbow colours illuminating from it as flies past and connects with Sion's chest. He is sent flying into a glacier.

"H…how did you do that?" I ask whilst Fizz' jaw is slowly going back into place after being on the floor.

"People in Freljord are protected from evil by the spirits of the Nordic gods, so Sion was rendered useless."

BOOM!

A crash and an explosion erupts from the other side of the glacier, demented eyes glow from it.

"Move, move, move!" Ashe orders. We grab our belonging and run to the hills.

"Head south, the land there is even and gives us an advantage, to kill him."

We all run up the frosty hill and over to see luscious green grass swaying in a warm tropical breeze, and there standing in front of us in the swaying trees.

Talon and Katarina…


End file.
